A little night of music and lots of wine

Annually, around the third week of November, wine makers get ready for the much anticipated race to ship the newest vintage to Paris and the rest of the globe.

Parties and festivals are held the world over where bottles upon bottles are uncorked and the first sips of Beaujolais Nouveau are savored.

The Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, together with Le Club French Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, once again proudly welcomed Cebuanos, members of the growing French community, and guests to an evening of camaraderie, fun and laughter, music and lots of Beaujolais Nouveau amid an array of authentic French cheeses and excellent French cuisine.

The festivities began with the ceremonial uncorking of the first bottle by French Honorary Consul in Cebu Michel Lhuillier and Philip Gauthier, former president of Le Club. They were joined by dynamic hands-on general manager Hans Hauri.

With the formalities over and the revelry reaching maximum level, it was time to dance to the lively music of the Renaissance Band. The dance floor was filled to capacity as the music makers played popular pieces, from boogie and chacha to swing and rumba.  

After a brief interlude for guests to appreciate and enjoy the excellent cheeses selected by cheese master Richard Poinier and French dishes masterfully created by executive chef Luke Gagnon, the invitees were entertained by versatile Cebuano singer Vernie Varga.

One of the highlights of the evening was the lively performance of the high-kicking spirited Cancan dancers who flew in for the occasion from France.

Johnny Litton, the witty, social entertainment emcee, steered the flow of activities, culminating with the raffling of two roundtrip tickets to Paris via Qatar Airways.

Marco Polo Plaza, through the dynamic efforts and hard work of its GM Hauri and his efficient team, has certainly set a standard and established a reputation as the only place to be in Cebu when it comes to celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau Day.